Illuminated attachment for a lock-equipped door knob

ABSTRACT

An attachment to fit over a door knob provided with a key hole in the center, the attachment including means for selectively holding it to the door knob with security against unauthorized removal. The attachment includes a battery, a switch, and a lamp. It has a central opening to permit access to the key hole and a port to permit light to shine on the key hole when the switch is activated. The attachment superficially resembles a door knob.

United States Patent [191 Foreman [451 March 6, 1973 [54] ILLUMINATED ATTACHMENT FOR A LOCK-EQUIPPED DOOR KNOB [76] Inventor: Lester Foreman, 115 Laurel Road,

Sharon Hill, Pa. 19079 [22] Filed: May 28, 1970 [21] App]. No.: 48,586

[52] US. Cl ..240/2.13, 70/431 [51] Int. Cl. ..E05b 17/10 [58] Field of Search ..240/2. 1 3; 292/348; 70/454,

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1954 Dittman ..240/2. 13 Kaskouras ..70/2l 1 4/1918 Glossop ..240/2. 1 3 6/l935 Taylor ..240/2.l3

Primary Examiner-Louis R. Prince Assistant ExaminerDaniel M. Yasich AttorneyPaul Maleson [57] ABSTRACT An attachment to fit over a door knob provided with a key hole in the center, the attachment including means for selectively holding it to the door knob with security against unauthorized removal. The attachment includes a battery, a switch, and a lamp. it has a central opening to permit access to the key hole and a port to permit light to shine on the key hole when the switch is activated. The attachment superficially resembles a door knob.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHVAR 6W 3,719,821

INVENTOR.

LESTER FOREMAN BY Z2 QWVeM ATTOR NEYS.

ILLUMINATED ATTACHMENT FOR A LOCK- EQUIPPED DOOR KNOB BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION have been known attachments for other purposes todoor knobs, such as those disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,610,877; 3,082,028; and 3,306,643. While these patents have attacked various aspects, there is no device known to the inventor that meets all the following requirements: A knob-like attachment which can be affixed to and removed from a standard round door knob by a home owner without alteration or expert assistance, selectively illuminating a key hole in the door knob itself, and being self-contained and being theft-resistant.

, SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide an illuminated attachment for a lock-equipped door knob.

An attachment, superficially resembling a door knob is provided. It has means by which it may be affixed over an existing round door knob by a home owner without special tools or structural alterations in the door or the knob. When properly installed, the attachment is difficult to remove without authorization when the door is shut. The attachment contains a battery, a lamp, and a switch. The switch has a button accessable from the outside of the attachment.

The attachment has a center hole cut away in the front plate thereof to provide access to a key hole located in the center of the door knob itself. A light port is provided so that when the switch button is actuated, the light from the lamp shines through the light port directly onto the key hole. The device is completely self contained. The power requirements are very low because the area to be illuminated by the lamp is very small and is contained within a well-like structure. The battery capacity can be very small and the battery life can be very long because the lamp is only actuated for very short and infrequent periods.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view taken from the upper right hand corner of the illuminated attachment for a lock-equipped door knob, partially cut away, and shown in an exploded view with relation to a door knob.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view taken from the top above showing the attachment in position over a door knob.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 3- 3 of FIG. 4, of the attachment in place on a door knob.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The illuminated attachment for a lock-equipped door knob is intended to fit over a pre-existing round lock-equipped door knob generally designated 2. The door knob 2 is provided on a door 3. The door is provided with a frame or jamb 6, and is best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the door, when closed, brings the knob into close juxtaposition to the jamb 6, as is common in door and door frame construction and practice.

The door knob 2 is provided with a centrally located lock having a key hole 7. The illuminated attachment, designed to fit over the door knob, is generally designated 1. This may also be described as a dummy door knob, since, when installed, its outer appearance approximates that of an ordinary common door knob to the casual observer.

The attachment comprises a front or face plate 9. This is provided with a central hole 21 generally concentric with the outer dimension of the face plate. The hole 21 is large enough to expose the key hole 7 when the attachment is affixed of the door knob 2. To the outer edge of the face plate 9, and extending rearwardly therefrom is a conical-section circular wall 8. This wall 8-forms that part of the attachment whichis generally grasped by the hand of a user. As best shown in FIG. 3, the circular wall extends from the face 9 close to but not exactly perpendicular to the face 9, although the angle is notcritical. The wall converges as it moves further from the face 9. The edge of the wall most remote from the face 9 is left open.

A plurality of holes are provided in the wall 8 adjacent the open edge thereof. These holes are threaded to accommodate affixing means, set screws 11. A set screw is provided in each of the holes. In the embodiment shown, three such screws are provided equidistantly spaced around the circumference of the circular wall.

A switch 12 is provided inside the body of the door knob and this switch has an actuating button or other manual control means 13. The button 13 extends outwardly of the attachment through a hole provided therein for that purpose. A power source, a battery 14, is provided inside the attachment. It is held in place to the inner surface of the attachment by means of clips or holders 15. These are conventional in construction. A light source, a lamp 18, is also provided inside the attachment, and the socket or fixture 19 in which the lamp is mounted by conventional means is itself affixed to the inside surface of the attachment. In the embodiment illustrated, the lamp fixture 19 happens to be affixed to the front plate 9.

A common characteristic of the switch, lamp, and battery is that they are positioned close to the inner surface of the attachment 1, so that the attachment may be slipped over the door knob 2 without having any of these elements interfere with the door knob. That is, the size of the switch, battery and lamp, their position inside the attachment, and the size of the attachment are such that when the attachment is slipped into position over the door knob 2, they are not crushed nor do they interfere with the proper positioning of the attachment over the door knob.

The hole 21 is provided with a rearwardly extending flange which at least partially itself defines the hole 21. The flange extends rewardly to a distance, as best shown in FIG. 3, short enough so that the attachment 1 may be positioned and affixed over the door knob 2, without the inner edge of the flange interefering with its positioning. In the embodiment shown, the contacting of the inner edges of the flange defining hole 21 with the front surface of the door knob provides the limit to which the attachment may be slipped horizontally over the door knob. That is, the attachment is inserted over the door knob until the flange contacts the front surface of the door knob. The flange is preferably perpendicular to the front plate 9, and the diameter of the hole is large enough to permit access to the key hole 7. It is also obvious that the diameter of the attachment at the open edge thereof is large enough to permit it being slipped over the door knob to which it is intended to be attached.

The flange is provided with a light port 10. This is a cut-out section of the flange. It is positioned over the lamp 18. This permits light from the lamp 18 to shine on and illuminate the key hole 7.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the door knob 2 has a rear surface 5, and the door knob is mounted on a stem 4 leading to the latch mechanism in the door itself. The attachment 1 is slipped over the door knob with the set screws in a retracted position. Then, they are turned in, as shown in FIG. 3, until they bear against the rear surface 5, thus holding the attachment in place. As shown in FIG. 2, the attachment is preferably installed by being rotatably aligned on the door knob so that one of the set screws 1 l is as close as possible to the jamb 6. It is apparent that the installation is made with the door open. When the door is closed, the proximity of one of the set screws 11 to the jamb makes it either impossible or very difficult to retract that set screw, since there is no room to manipulate a screwdriver. This makes it more difficult to steal or otherwise remove the attachment in unauthorized manner when the door is closed.

The switch, battery and lamp are electrically connected in a conventional manner. As shown in FIG. 4, the battery 14, in its holders 15, is electrically connected between terminal contacts 16 and 17 provided on the inner surface of the attachment. Insulated electrically conductive lines 20 extend from terminal 16 to one contact in switch 12, from the other contact in switch 12 to one contact on lamp 18, and from the other contact on lamp 18 to terminal contact 17. The electrical rating of the components is preferably of the same order as is found in small flashlights. The electrical circuit is normally open, and the lamp is actuated only when the switch is momentarily closed by manual pressure. A spring in the switch returns it to the open condition when the pressure is released. This mode of operation means that the service time of the circuit is very small so that the battery 14 will have a relatively long life. To replace the battery, the attachment 1 is removed. The circuitry between the electrical elements is conventional and is capable of variation within wellknown ways within the state of the art.

The attachment is preferably and normally made of attractive metal, such as brass, and is preferably designed so as to have a pleasing and aesthetic outer appearance. It is'obvious that the materials of construction and the outer appearance of the attachment may be varied for aesthetic purposes. The light port 10 may comprise a transparent window instead of being left as an open gap.

The scope of the invention is to be determined by the appended claims, and is not limited by the foregoing description and drawings which are illustrative.

I claim:

1. A dummy door knob attachment adjusted to fit over a door knob, comprising;

a. a face plate, said face plate having a central hole therethrough and a rearwardly extending flange around said hole, a cut-out portion in said flange, said cut-out portion defining a light port,

b. a wall affixed to the outer edge of said face plate and extending rearwardly, said wall being open at the edge thereof most remote from said face plate,

c. selectively operable affixing means provided on and through said wall near said open edge thereof for engaging said door knob to hold said attachment on said door knob,

. illuminating means in said attachment, and affixed thereto comprising a normally open switch, a power source, and a light source, all operatively connected, said switch having actuating means accessible from outside said attachment, said light source being positioned outside the diameter of said hole in said face plate and adjacent said light port to illuminate within the diameter of said flange.

2. An attachment as set forth in claim 1 wherein the distance between the innermost edge of said flange and the position of said affixing means is chosen so that when said flange bears against the front surface of said door knob, said affixing means bear against the rear surface of said door kno 3. An attachment as set forth in claim 2 wherein said switch, said power source, and said light source are affixed to the inside surface of said attachment adjacent said flange, and in a position chosen so that said switch, power source and light means are out of contact with said door knob when the innermost edge of said flange contacts said door knob.

4. An attachment as set forth in claim 3 wherein said affixing means comprise a plurality of set screws positioned in and passing through threaded holes in said circular wall.

5. An attachment as set forth in claim 3 wherein said face plate is circular, and said wall is circular.

6. An attachment as set forth in claim 5 wherein said circular wall forms a conical section converging rearwardly away from said face plate.

7. The combination of a door knob and an affixed attachment therefor, comprising,

a. a door knob having a key hole substantially in the center thereof, a door, a door jamb, said door knob being mounted on said door adjacent one edge thereof and adjacent said door jamb, and

b. an attachment over said door knob, comprising 1. a face plate, said face plate having a central hole therethrough larger than said key hole, and a rearwardly extending flange around said hole abutting the front of said door knob, a cut-out portion in said flange, said cut-out portion defining a light port,

2. a wall affixed to the outer edge of said face plate 4. illuminating means in said attachment, and afand extending rearwardly over said door knob, said wall being'open at the edge thereof most remote from said face plate,

fixed thereto comprising a normally open switch, a power source, and a light source, operatively connected, said switch having aca plurality of selectively operable affixing means 5 tuating means accessable from outside said atprovided on d th h id ll near id tachment, said light source being positioned outopen edge there f to h ld id attachment on side the diameter of said hole in said face plate said door knob, said attachment being rotatably and adlacem 531d llglft P9 to lllumlflatf Said aligned on said door knob to bring at least one of hole 'f 531d llght P wlthm the said affixing means to its closest possible juxdlameter ofsald g taposition to said door jamb, 

1. A dummy door knob attachment adjusted to fit over a door knob, comprising; a. a face plate, said face plate having a central hole therethrough and a rearwardly extending flange around said hole, a cut-out portion in said flange, said cut-out portion defining a light port, b. a wall affixed to the outer edge of said face plate and extending rearwardly, said wall being open at the edge thereof most remote from said face plate, c. selectively operable affixing means provided on and through said wall near said open edge thereof for engaging said door knob to hold said attachment on said door knob, d. illuminating means in said attachment, and affixed thereto comprising a normally open switch, a power source, and a light source, all operatively connected, said switch having actuating means accessible from outside said attachment, said light source being positioned outside the diameter of said hole in said face plate and adjacent said light port to illuminate within the dIameter of said flange.
 1. A dummy door knob attachment adjusted to fit over a door knob, comprising; a. a face plate, said face plate having a central hole therethrough and a rearwardly extending flange around said hole, a cut-out portion in said flange, said cut-out portion defining a light port, b. a wall affixed to the outer edge of said face plate and extending rearwardly, said wall being open at the edge thereof most remote from said face plate, c. selectively operable affixing means provided on and through said wall near said open edge thereof for engaging said door knob to hold said attachment on said door knob, d. illuminating means in said attachment, and affixed thereto comprising a normally open switch, a power source, and a light source, all operatively connected, said switch having actuating means accessible from outside said attachment, said light source being positioned outside the diameter of said hole in said face plate and adjacent said light port to illuminate within the dIameter of said flange.
 1. a face plate, said face plate having a central hole therethrough larger than said key hole, and a rearwardly extending flange around said hole abutting the front of said door knob, a cut-out portion in said flange, said cut-out portion defining a light port,
 2. a wall affixed to the outer edge of said face plate and extending rearwardly over said door knob, said wall being open at the edge thereof most remote from said face plate,
 2. An attachment as set forth in claim 1 wherein the distance between the innermost edge of said flange and the position of said affixing means is chosen so that when said flange bears against the front surface of said door knob, said affixing means bear against the rear surface of said door knob.
 3. An attachment as set forth in claim 2 wherein said switch, said power source, and said light source are affixed to the inside surface of said attachment adjacent said flange, and in a position chosen so that said switch, power source and light means are out of contact with said door knob when the innermost edge of said flange contacts said door knob.
 3. a plurality of selectively operable affixing means provided on and through said wall near said open edge thereof to hold said attachment on said door knob, said attachment being rotatably aligned on said door knob to bring at least one of said affixing means to its closest possible juxtaposition to said door jamb,
 4. illuminating means in said attachment, and affixed thereto comprising a normally open switch, a power source, and a light source, operatively connected, said switch having actuating means accessable from outside said attachment, said light source being positioned outside the diameter of said hole in said face plate and adjacent said light port to illuminate said key hole through said light port within the diameter of said flange.
 4. An attachment as set forth in claim 3 wherein said affixing means comprise a plurality of set screws positioned in and passing through threaded holes in said circular wall.
 5. An attachment as set forth in claim 3 wherein said face plate is circular, and said wall is circular.
 6. An attachment as set forth in claim 5 wherein said circular wall forms a conical section converging rearwardly away from said face plate. 